Timeline

Sunday, 5 August 2012

Facebook is buzzing with people and organisations
congratulating the South African Olympic Gold medallist.To date, we got 3 gold medals. Just before
the Olympics started, we celebrated old President Nelson Mandela’s 94th
birthday and most of South Africa did their 67 minutes of charity.The World celebrated with us! The weekend
after Madiba’s birthday, Ernie Els won the British Open and thereafter the
Protea Cricket team also did well in England!

It feels good when your country does well and we are proud
of these achievements, but ….

Is this national pride enough to keep me in South Africa?

I regularly read the articles AND the comments on the
websites of Facebook, News24, YOU, Carte Blanche, various news sites, etc.If something bad or scandalous happens in
South Africa, then people want to emigrate, they criticize the government and
want to see heads roll. For example the “toilet scandal” a few years back and
now the school textbook scandal in Limpopo.

The moment something good happens, like our golden medals, then only is the government doing everything
right and those who want to leave this country must be crazy, because look how
well we are doing! Look how this is
bringing our nation together again, just like the ’95 Rugby World Cup and the
2010 Soccer World Cup in SA!

Now, while the country is on a “high” with our achievements
at the Olympics, people are making comments and say we are stupid, unpatriotic
and ridiculous to want to emigrate! I have heard that we do not have pride in
our county and are not patriotic!

Let me tell you … I get goose bumps every time I hear our
national anthem during the Olympics or at other sports events.I get tears in my eyes, looking at our
beautiful flag which flies proudly at the Olympics. Our family are glued to the
TV and we cheer every South African on! We celebrated Madiba’s birthday by
doing our bit for charity.We watched as
Ernie won the British Open. We get up early and go to bed late to support our
sport teams.During the Soccer World Cup
build up, we proudly wore our yellow soccer jerseys – EVERY Soccer Friday.We are proud of our Cricket team and we are
sad that Mark Boucher got hurt and had to retire!

BUT …. The fact that we are proud of our nations achieve are
not going to give my children the future they deserve. It will not ensure a
decent job for them.National pride does
not give me safety and security.National Pride does not make people drive better or be more patient with
each other on the South African Roads.It does not make politicians and other business people commit less crime
and corruption.It does not improve the
quality of education.It will not ensure
my kids a chance to partake in the Olympic Games one day, because quotas may
eliminate them!

The nation pride I have for South Africa are being slashed
with each known street name change, with each city/town name change.It gets diminished by giving my kids a curriculum
which does not prepare them for the future.The lawlessness, corruption and unfairness in this country are killing
the nation pride I really want to experience.

Dear friends and family who are telling me that we do not
have pride in SA and that we are unpatriotic, please tell me how much is left
over to feel patriotic about?Yes, we do
have some achievements, but these have to live in the shadow of a nation which
is falling apart. I will always love South Africa, but that love is limited to
the memories of a country which once was ….

Friday, 3 August 2012

I have been neglecting this blog the last month or so.We are really busy with all our plans.

The sad news I first need to tell you is that the house sale
did not go through.The people who
wanted to buy the house ended up not having enough funds available.Or at least, that is what the agents told
us.We are a dash frustrated about this,
but we are still very positive that the house will sell in time.

Further to the house not being sold, it is going up and down
with our emotions.We are definitely moving
in DEC 2012,there are just a few things
to be sorted and then we can book our tickets.WHAT A JOY THAT WILL BE!!!!???

About Me

We recently moved to Sydney, Australia. Herewith our story. Follow our adventures to see how we prepared, change and adjust to our new life. I have 2 blogs. One in English (Uprooted) and an Afrikaans one (Ontwortel)